CL Rods

ditto. I have however fished and do fish SOME of the h20 baits, and have had reasonable success with the square billed baits. The first thing you notice is the difference in depth between theirs and the pricier versions. But if you account for that and fish the bait at the proper depth I think in this case you would be satisfied. For those in the Charlotte area, it is only a short trip over to Greenville. I hit a few other spots along the way when I have gone.

Chances are you are overworking the epoxy. You might try putting it on each guide without trying to be so exact, then come back and finish around the foot of the guides. You could also try the Lite build formula. I like to start at the tip and work back toward the handle, this will allow you to get a thinner coat on the thin part of the rod and it will level a little better for you. When you are applying to the guides at the thicker portion of the rod you will have a bit more epoxy on the wraps and that will help level it out. You can assist the leveling a little with either a heat gun or alcohol torch. Be careful and don't cook it or it will set up and crystalize on you. But overall just work faster by applying it without trying to work it into and onto the threads so carefully.

There are a number of sources for epoxy syringes from Rod building sites. I use them in conjunction with new Self-Sealing Bottle Cap Syringe Inserts for the tops of the bottles. The inserts work great and I can just leave the syringe standing in the top of the bottle or remove them and put the cap back on the syringes. They also sell 1/2cc pumps which I use in my Etex bottles. I am not pushing any one site but just wanted to say there are options if you are buying the larger bottles of Devcon and you don't like using Yorker caps to just squeeze it out.

I use AutoAir white sealer and have no issues. I am applying it directly to an epoxy used to seal / smooth the wood surface. When I start appying my color coats I have no issues but I do heat set after every color is applied.

check out the work of these responders, and decide if you prefer one method or the other since there are so many ways to do this. Overall, just practice. Buy a 2gang solid white electrical switch cover plate from Lowes/HomeDepot/ACE.... Then you can practice all you want, wipe it off, try other techniques... The white plate will let you see the effects of having the basecoat down for various colors. Buy a black one as well if you like a lot of dark baits.

I would say there has been a minimum of two changes. The first thing I noticed around 200-2001 they changed some of the colors. While they were still called the same color, they definitely were not. The old Rootbeer (pre 2001) was killer, the new is blah just flat outright doesn't cathch as many fish. Now if I loose a Bandit, I most likely don't replace it unless it is one I custom painted for a local lake, and chances are I just use an old one and paint it up.

+1

There are a number of PearlEx powder colors that can be added to translucent base to create ghost colors. Some of Wasco's wildlife colors are awesome for the effects as well. For dark backs on the translucent baits, the Createx transparents work well also. You need to decide on some specific color versions and perhaps the choices get narrowed down.

Once again I am amazed at what might be found on eBay. Yes that is it.

Depending on the base coat and whether it is durable enough or if you have put an intermediate clear on it, the technique you just mentioned is how you create a marblized paint job. However, you do not let it dry under the plastic and you pretty much remove it right away. HOK makes a thinned silver pearl paint just for doing this and it works absolutely as advertised.

To glue my eyes on after clearing with an automotive clear I am using PARFIX 200, Medium Fast Cure Speed. It is a CA glue and I put a couple drops on a piece of paper then I use a needle to dip into the glue and apply a small very controlled amount on the lure before I press the eyes down on the lure. Now you ask where to get it. I got mine from the Balsa supplier on line, and I bought so much balsa it has been a couple of years and I still haven't used it all or all the CA.....so uh I kind of forget their name. Google for balsa and then look for the glue. Or you might be able to check with the manufacturer of the glue at www.parsonadhesives.com.

Andy has pretty much got the right aproach, and you can drive yourself nuts trying to match LC colors exactly. There are also a few pearl greens you may want to look into for this particular bait color, that can be easily tinted to come pretty darn close.

Google, as suggested to review the colors or perhaps search photos in the Gallery. Next get out your airbrush and paint. Layering light coats of paint on top of each other is often how certain effects are achieved versus 'mixing'. If you are going to mix paint and want it to be one of your permanent color mixes, you need to take really good notes and save them. 1.5cc bright yellow, .5cc brite green, 1cc gold toner, 4 drops Med Brown, 2cc Med Bass Green = xyz color. If you don't you will struggle to duplicate it. Trust me I know as I dread when I run out of a couple I have mixed up. I have no clue what I did initially or that they would become some of my favorites.

I use AutoAir, Createx, Polytranspar, and Parma. All waterbased acrylics. I do use some solvent based HOK paints but it is rare if I would use one on crankbaits. Some of the wildlife colors are just better in my opinion for baby bass, and some blue gill / sunfish effects.

Well hard to say, might depend on the fish you are fishing for and region you live. Overall for 'prop' baits I would have to say white or 'light' colors when I lived in Omaha and smallmouth bass and other toothy critters were involved, and now in the Carolinas, man I'd have to say orange belly for that bluegill/bream/sunfish thing in the summertime, but barring that scenario, white/light colors.

Baby bass is one of those colors that I like better when done with Transpar paints. There Med Bass Green, gold & gold toner, transpar brown, bass belly white will yield a good outcome. (Most any black)

Make sure you avoid anythig with silicone in working with painting or epoxy. Don't use syringes from most sources as they use silicone as a lubricant, use only those meant for the puropose. You can get them from rod building supply sites. The list can go on and on as to what might contaminate a surface.

use the search feature, there are a lot of prior answers regarding colors used...